§ 14. Mr. Sorensenasked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the office of the West African Youth League in Freetown, Sierra Leone, was raided last autumn by Government authorities; whether he will state the ground for the raid; and whether the documents seized have now been returned to the owners?
§ Mr. George HallThe only occasion on which the office of the West African Youth League was searched by the police during 1940 was on 12th June. This was on a warrant issued under Regulation 101 (2) of the Sierra Leone Defence Regulations, No. 11 of 1940, which provides for the entry and search of premises where there is reasonable ground to suspect that a war offence has 1261 been or is being committed. The Acting Governor reports that the search was properly authorised and executed, and that nothing was removed from the premises by any officer or member of the police force in the course of the search.
§ Mr. SorensenWas it found, as a result of the search, that the suspicions were justified?
§ Mr. SorensenDo I understand that the suspicions were not justified?
§ Mr. WedgwoodWhat were the suspicions? Were they thought to be Communists or Fascists?
§ Mr. de RothschildWhat was the result of the investigation?
§ Mr. HallI think it can be assumed that the police were satisfied that their suspicion was unfounded.